Crushed upon the Wheel
by lizwuzthere
Summary: Having previously left the Decepticons, Knockout is finally starting to feel a bit more welcome amongst Team Prime. But still, nobody has forgotten that he's an ex-'Con, and Wheeljack is about to remind him that old grudges don't just disappear overnight.


**This story is a sequel to my previous work: Breaking Barriers which in turn is a sequel to Opportunity Knocks**

**These three, along with a series of shorter fics are all apart of an AU I started mid-season two, so you can read all those here if you so please.**

**Ok that's it. Enjoy!**  
**Thoughts and criticisms are encouraged and appreciated.**

* * *

"You traitorous_ FILTH!_"

His powerful voice echoed through the ship's bridge as the Decepticon Lord stood atop the elevated platform in the center of the room. The central command staff present all turned excitedly from their consoles to watch the confrontation. It wasn't as though it were a new sight. They'd all seen the recordings of traitors being ripped into by Lord Megatron, but there was just something about getting to see it in person. It was exhilarating. And terrifying.

Megatron knew it too. He waited for everyone to turn and look. He wanted everyone to see this; to know what lie in wait for those who defied him. Once this was done with, he'd be sure to want this recording sent throughout the ship. Probably forwarded to any other Decepticon vessels nearby too. Better get that prepped too.

Leaning forward just slightly, Megatron spoke again. "Bargaining with the Autobots is one thing, but to _run_ from us like a coward," he snarled, "did you _really _think you would escape the wrath of the Decepticons? The wrath of _Lord Megatron?_" He straightened his posture proudly as he recited his own title. Before him on the connecting trestle, his victim knelt, cuffed and bleeding, but with two Vehicons standing just behind him for good measure.

As Megatron spoke, he lowered his gaze to the floor, shaking ever so slightly at the terrifying bellows of the Decepticon leader. Pathetic. After a moment to gather himself again, he looked up. Energon was oozing from a deep gash in his blue face plate. "My Lord, I... I would never-"

Megatron held up his servo to stop the mech. "I am not interested in your excuses, _Doubledealer_." he hissed. "We have all the evidence we need of your transgressions... thanks to Soundwave." Turning slightly to his right, Megatron acknowledged his third in command standing just behind him.

Ah yes, that was his cue. Activating the correct audio recording, Soundwave stepped forward and... there it was. Clear as day; Doubledealer's voice as he conversed with the enemy. Soundwave watched the horror dawning on the traitor's face as he realized just how much trouble he was in. He ought to have known better. Nothing goes on on this ship without Soundwave knowing about it.

Once the clip had finished playing, Megatron turned back to Doubledealer, stepping closer to loom over the mech. "How unfortunate for you that Soundwave is so adept at his work." a vicious smirk crossed his face, showing off his pointed teeth.

Megatron was particularly intimidating today. He must have been in a good mood. Catching a traitor did that for him. As long as it was one who had been unsuccessful. Ah, and Megatron was pleased with Soundwave too. That was always a good thing.

"You will find that my tolerance for treason is not-"

"_fweeeeeoooooo_"

Silence fell across the room.

"_fweeeeeooooooooooo_"

Megatron glanced back to Soundwave, looking rather displeased.

Oops.

Soundwave turned his gaze down to his chassis and the recharging mini-con attached to it. Oh Laserbeak, that was _not _a good time to start snoring.

"_fweeeoooo_OOOP_!_" Soundwave sent a jolt of data to his symbiote and the little 'Con startled awake with a tiny flutter of his wings. He quickly sent a wordless apology through their connection and settled down again, silent.

That was better. He thought to scold the mini-con further, but that wasn't necessary. And after all, Laserbeak had been instrumental in helping Soundwave to snuff out Doubledealer's treachery. The tired little 'Con deserved some recharge... This would just have to be edited out of the recording later.

Soundwave looked up to acknowledge his leader, showing he was sorry for the interruption, but as he did he realized... Megatron was _gone_. So was Doubledealer. In fact he wasn't even in the bridge. He was...

Where was he?

It looked like... Earth? Yes, he was on Earth. It was very green and empty, so it had to be. But how did he get here so suddenly?

There was nothing in front of him, just a vast expanse of short, green Earth vegetation. Soundwave spun around, trying to take in more of his surroundings. Just as he looked back, there was a flash of red, a sickening shriek of metal... His vision wavered slightly, his helm suddenly feeling heavy. Soundwave forced himself to focus, and, looking up, he locked on to two circular red optics. Knockout!

His drill was thrust forward, piercing into Soundwave's chassis and... No. NO!

Laserbeak!

Knockout pulled his drill back, and a torrent of energon spilled from Soundwave as he did. He felt Laserbeak disconnect from his chassis. Through the static blurring across his vision, Soundwave watched as the mini-con went tumbling towards the ground, his wings fluttering uselessly, energon pouring from the gaping wound from the drill.

No no, not again! No, he... he had to catch him. Soundwave couldn't lose Laserbeak too. He was the last one, he couldn't-

Just as the mini-con was about to hit the ground, just out of Soundwave's reach, the mech startled awake.

For a minute everything was a haze... Laserbeak. Where was he? What was happening? Soundwave struggled against something holding him for another moment before he realized what it was.

A pair of Vehicons were grappling with him, shouting his name, telling him to _calm down _and _it's okay, you're fine!_ It was about then he noticed his tentacles were wrapped around the two Vehicons. He was practically crushing them as they tried to force him back down onto the medical berth he had, apparently, jumped up from... Soundwave quickly disengaged his tentacles, releasing the Vehicons, and stepped back silently, carefully averting his gaze from them.

Soundwave hated that he wasn't fully in control of himself. It was a level of frustration Soundwave hadn't known in ages. And the outbursts were getting more common, made all the worse by these corrupted memory files splicing themselves together and playing back while he recharged... It had been like this since he'd come out of stasis from his injuries. Since he learned Laserbeak was...

One of the Vehicons was speaking now. Soundwave turned his helm only slightly back towards the two of them to show he was listening.

It was the silver one who was talking. Now that Soundwave was paying attention he recognized them as AA-00, the Vehicons' leader. "-nly if absolutely necessary. If that doesn't work, just send a comm to the other members of your unit. They're only a few rooms away in the main section of the medical bay. They can come assist you." They were addressing the other Vehicon who was shifting about nervously and wringing his servos together. AA-00 looked back to Soundwave. "Soundwave. This is WY-05." they said, gesturing to the nervous looking Vehicon. "I've assigned him as your caretaker until you make a full recovery."

Soundwave turned his helm towards WY-05. The sudden movement made the 'Con jump and turn his gaze down to the floor. Pathetic. Soundwave looked back to AA-00. They seemed to understand the meaning in his gaze.

"I have my reasons for assigning WY-05 to you," they said. "Please try to listen to him. I believe he'll be helpful in your recovery." Glancing over at the cowering Vehicon for another moment, AA-00 turned to go. "Contact me only if there's an emergency, WY-05. I have to get back to the bridge."

The bridge. What was going on up there, exactly? Megatron must have been working on something to capture Knockout. But what? Soundwave watched AA-00 leave and considered following after. Ah, but... He turned to look back at WY-05. Soundwave was supposed to stay here and heal. And now he had a babysitter to make sure he did just that.

As the door closed behind AA-00, WY-05 finally spoke up. "Um... Hello, Soundwave. I-I mean _sir._ Sir Soundwave? N-no that's-" he mumbled a bit, rubbing his digits together anxiously. "A-anyway... My designation is WY-05. Like AA-00 said. And um. Well, I guess we'll be stuck together for a while... N-n-not that it's a _bad _thing. Being stuck. I didn't mean it like, uh..."

Soundwave just stared on silently and let WY-05 stumble over his own words. He couldn't fathom why AA-00 had assigned this particular 'Con to him when they were so clearlyunfit for the job. As if this weak, stammering Vehicon would be able to control _Soundwave_. No, he wouldn't be hard to shake at all.

And so he tuned out the Vehicon yammering on in the background, instead turning his processor to more important matters. Such as how he would learn Megatron's plan for capturing Knockout... and how he could become a part of it.

Lord Megatron would definitely not approve of Soundwave taking on such a task while he was still recovering from his injuries. But surprisingly, that didn't even bother Soundwave anymore. His mind wandered back and he saw it again- those two circular red optics staring up at him, the drill thrust forward and piercing through... Laserbeak...

No. Soundwave wouldn't stand for being left out. He _had _to take part in this mission. He would be there when they captured him, and he see to it that the medic got exactly what was coming to him. Even if it meant disobeying Lord Megatron again; Soundwave was going to be the one to kill Knockout.

* * *

"Honestly, it's _embarrassing _how slow you two are! I'm not even an off-road vehicle."

Arcee grumbled irritably to herself as she sped across the rocky terrain of the canyon, following after the red sports car. She wouldn't tell him of course, but she _was _a tiny bit impressed that he had managed to not blow a tire yet. Just to her right, Bumblebee was driving along with her. He wasn't exactly interested in getting pebbles stuck in his undercarriage, so he maintained a slower pace with her.

"Isn't Knockout supposed to be on _probation_ and, y'know... resigned to base?" she asked the scout. "What happened to that?"

"_BZZZEEEPwhrrrrrzzoooOOO!_" Bee responded.

"Ugh, don't remind me!" Knockout called back, having overheard. He slowed just a bit to get closer to them, but still stayed out in front. "I couldn't sit around listening to Ratchet gripe at me for another moment. Besides, you two needed someone to show you the way to this mine, didn't you?"

"We would have managed with just the coordinates, you know." Arcee then slowed to a stop and transformed to her robot mode. Bumblebee followed suit. "Speaking of which, we're getting close. We'd better continue on foot."

Knockout made a show of transforming and gracefully sliding to a stop, sending pebbles and dust flying. "If you say so," he said with a small shrug. "But I'll be counting that as a forfeit on both your parts."

Bumblebee crossed his arms in front of his chassis. "_WhrrrZOOOP! Beepbooozeeewhrzzzz_."

"Oh we most definitely _were _racing." Knockout turned with a flourish of his servo and continued forwards. "And _I _was winning."

Bee let out an irritated whirr as he and Arcee followed after the medic, and then added, "_BeepbuzzzWHRRRbooop. ZzzzzppbooBEEPwhrr._"

"Oh a rematch, huh?" Knockout practically purred with eagerness at the suggestion. "Why Bumblebee, I would be _more_ than happy to give you another taste of my dust."

"How about you two compare engine sizes _later_," Arcee snapped. "We're supposed to be on a mission, here."

Knockout and Bumblebee both lowered their helms and offered a quiet hum/whirr to this. Neither looked especially happy, but it managed to shut them up. So the three continued along through the canyon in silence until finally Knockout gestured for them to stop.

"It should be just over this next ridge," he said, his tone more serious now. Stepping carefully over to the short incline, Knockout peered over the rocks to take a look. Arcee and Bumblebee came up beside him to see for themselves.

Out in front of them a sort of path extended down out into a wide valley of the canyon. At the very bottom directly in front of them, a small overhanging rock just barely obscured the cave entrance below it.

"There it is." Knockout leaned forward on the rocks, glancing at the Autobots on his left. "Now I hope you aren't expecting to get any closer. That place _does _have Decepticons in it at the moment, you know, and I wasn't planning on showing my face around them any time soon..."

"Of course not. We're only here for reconnaissance," Arcee said, keeping her optics on the entrance. "We do have to confirm that it's still active, but we can just do a quick scan for-"

Arcee was cut off by a muffled explosion coming from the direction of the mine. All three of the 'Bots ducked lower instinctively.

"_BZZEEEOOOP!_"

"What?! No it can't be!" Arcee turned to look at Bumblebee. "There's no way we could just _stumble upon_ a MECH attack twice in a row!"

"_Beepboowrr-_"

Before Bumblebee could finish his thought, the whirrs and grinding of a transformation sequence and subsequent roaring of an engine made the two Autobots look back around in time to see Knockout speeding towards the mine entrance by himself!

"KNOCKOUT! Come back!" Arcee called after him, but the medic wasn't listening and quickly disappeared into the cave below. "Scrap!" Arcee jumped over the ridge, transforming and zooming after him with Bumblebee close behind.

"_WhrrrzzzEEEPboopzzrrrrt?_"

"No, he's not being _brave._ That idiot just wants to go after Silas again!" Arcee replied as they sped into the cave themselves. "And he's going to get himself killed doing it. Come on, we have to find him before..." She paused, slowing to a stop as they reached a fork in the cavern. "Scrap..." she grumbled, looking each way. "Alright... We'll split up. Bee, you head left. I'll check the right."

Giving a beep of affirmation, Bee sped off down the left path. Arcee didn't hesitate either, and hurried off to the right. After going a short way through the cavern, she started to hear something up ahead. As she got closer it became more apparent that she was hearing shouting and crunching metal. Oh no. There was a fight going on. Knockout must have found the Vehicons. Or worse: MECH.

She drove faster until she saw a glimmer of artificial light around the next bend. Transforming into bot mode, she slid around the corner, her blasters at the ready and took aim at...

Arcee froze. Her determined scowl faded away into a shocked gape as she watched the hulking form of the Apex Armor pick up a Vehicon, scrambling to escape, and smash it head first into the side of a mining drill.

"Ha! You know, I remembered you drones being a _bit_ tougher than _this!_"

Ohh scrap. She knew that voice. The armored frame suddenly turned, revealing the sneering face of Starscream behind the visor of the Apex Armor. He looked out around the open cavern, which was littered with dismantled Vehicons and miners, and shrugged his shoulders slightly.

"Oh well. At least it made for some easy energon," he purred to himself. He turned away again and stepped towards a stockpile of energon cubes stored in a crevice of the rock wall. Picking up a single cube between two fingers, he turned it around, examining it. "I should probably thank _Lord Megatron_ for the lax security. I'm sure at least one of you is functioning enough to-" Starscream turned back around and finally laid optics on Arcee, still standing in the cavern entrance with her blasters at the ready and looking thoroughly dumbstruck.

The two exchanged surprised stares for another moment before Starscream finally reacted. "You!" He threw down the cube, letting it shatter on the floor. "What in Primus' name are you doing here, _Autobot?!_" He demanded as he began stomping towards the femme.

Arcee took a cautious step back and primed her blasters, though she realized they probably wouldn't do her much good. "Stand down, Starscream," she shouted, "I've got backup on the way!"

"Ha ha ha! Oh yes, I'm sure you do." That vicious smirk returned to Starscream's face as he continued to approach her. "And I wonder what good do you expect your pathetic Autobot weapons to do against the _power_ of an artifact of Solus Prime?" At the word 'power' Starscream brought one of the massive pedes of the Apex Armor down on an injured Vehicon, completely shattering the poor mech's chassis!

Arcee winced slightly as the light faded from behind his optics and she looked back up at the seeker. He was right, of course. Her best option at this point was certainly to run away. Only problem with that was Bumblebee and Knockout were still somewhere in this cave. And if Starscream was in the mood to fight, and either of them stumbled upon him, they could be in serious trouble! She couldn't feasibly defeat Starscream while he had that armor... but she just might be able to make him _think _she could.

"You might have the advantage of power," she began, then transformed to her vehicle mode and sped towards Starscream, "but I've got speed on my side!"

Her method seemed effective; as she zoomed past him, Starscream swiped at the motorcycle but completely missed her, stumbling forward just a step or two. It was just enough for Arcee to make a move. She swerved around, transforming again, and planted both her pedes right on Starscream's back, sending him to the ground with a powerful kick. Leaping off his frame, she immediately ran towards the energon stockpile.

Starscream pulled himself up quickly, though, and turned to face her again just in time to get a face full of energon cube! The plastic exploded on impact, dripping energon all down the armor and into the seams and joints. He wiped the visor clear only to see Arcee standing a ways off, one servo holding another energon cube, and the other transformed into her blaster and pointed directly at Starscream.

"I'll say it again: _Stand. Down. _Starscream."

For a split second, fear crossed the seeker's face as he stared at the glowing charge of her blaster. However, it was quickly replaced by another smug grin. "Nice try, Autobot," he sneered, "but I know you're not fool enough to discharge that blaster in here... not when there's so much spilled energon around. You'd kill _yourself _before you did any real damage to me."

Arcee clenched her jaw, still keeping her blaster trained on Starscream. Scrap. She'd been hoping that would take him a bit longer to figure out.

When she didn't make a move, Starscream started towards her. "So _Arcee_," he began in a mocking tone, "tell me, what was your second plan for when this one failed? I'm dying to know."

Unfortunately she hadn't come up with one yet. Arcee's optics darted around the cavern looking for some sort of environmental advantage and settled on the mining drill. The machine was off to their left and the massive drill was pointed towards the center of the room rather than the wall. The Vehicons had probably tried to use it as a weapon as well... That didn't bode well, but it could still provide enough of a distraction to prevent her from getting killed.

In one motion, Arcee transformed her blaster away and chucked the energon cube in her servo at Starscream. As he stopped to swat the cube out of the air, she transformed and sped off towards the drill. As she was almost at the drill, she suddenly heard loud thumping footsteps behind her and was hit from the side and sent crashing into the far wall!

Feeling rather dazed from the blow, she transformed and struggled to pull herself up. Before she could fully get her bearings again, she was struck again and pinned to the wall by the colossal hand of the Apex Armor. Her vision became fuzzy with static as she was crushed back into the rocks. Starscream's laughter pierced through her foggy perception and she could just make out the words he was saying.

"Stupid two-wheeler," he hissed. "Even without this armor I'm faster than you!" Tightening his grip on the femme, he dragged her frame up and off the ground, her back scraping painfully against the stone wall. "You know, if you had just been smart enough to _run_ just now I probably would have let you go." he was mocking her again. "I'm so glad you didn't, though. Then I would have missed out on the pleasure of _crushing you_."

Arcee felt his grip tighten yet again. Warning signals flashed in her optics as the plating of her upper chassis started to give. She tried to retort, but the cables and vents in her neck were too constricted. All she could manage was a short gasp and a low whine.

Starscream was all too amused by her effort, it seemed. "What was that? Trying to insult me, no doubt. OH or were you going to declare your intent to avenge _Cliffjumper_ and then somehow break free and defeat me?" The seeker was practically giddy as he continued to mock the Autobot. "I don't think you'll manage that this time... But when you see Cliffjumper in the Pit, tell him I send my regards!" Starscream raised his other fist, drawing it back to deal one final blow-

"Starscream!"

The seeker halted his attack and spun around. Standing over in the entrance was Knockout! With his energon staff in one servo, he was eyeing Starscream suspiciously. His optics slowly trained up and down his frame before finally settling on his helm. Then a smirk broke across his face and he tilted his helm a bit, planting one servo on his hip.

"Commander, you look just _awful_," he chirped. "Have you gained weight?"


End file.
